


Countdown

by GalacticGoldfish



Category: Death Stranding (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Character Worry, Death, Idiots in Love, Internal Monologue, M/M, Non permanent death, Science, Temporary Character Death, Worried Boyfriend, Worried Deadman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 04:37:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21452152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalacticGoldfish/pseuds/GalacticGoldfish
Summary: Deadman knows that Sam doesn't stay dead, but every time it happens he finds himself counting back from sixty to make sure that he's coming back.
Relationships: Sam Porter Bridges/Deadman
Comments: 12
Kudos: 162





	Countdown

Sixty… Fifty-Nine… Fifty-Eight… 

Deadman found himself counting backwards from sixty like he always did when Sam’s vital signs went dark on his communicator. His heart racing and his palms getting a little bit sweaty as he thought about what would happen if Sam couldn’t find his way back this time. That was silly of course. The strand that kept Sam tethered to his body even in what would be someone else’s afterlife was strong.

Fifty-Five… Fifty-Four… Fifty-Three…

But that didn’t stop his heart from catching in his throat every time it happened. Not that it happened often, not as often as it did before. But it was the fear of losing him for good that made him feel this way. After all there were still so many things that none of them knew about this world and these phenomenons. He couldn’t tell when Sam’s next trip would be his last because whatever managed to make him some sort of immortal decided to quit on him this time.

Fourty-Eight… Fourty-Seven… Fourty-Six…

What if he didn’t come back this time? Deadman felt his hands grip the edge of his desk tightly. He knew that sometimes it could take a little bit longer for Sam to get his bearings when he was coming back. Sometimes it could take a few minutes. Maybe even longer depending on whatever circumstances there were. He had never actually experienced the resurrection that happened and Sam wasn’t exactly excited to talk about it either.

Thirty-Nine… Thirty-Eight… Thirty-Seven…

He felt like he was going to be sick. His hands hurting from how hard he was holding the edge of the table. His body locked rigidly in place as he waited to hear the confirmation beep that Sam was in fact back online. He’d already dispatched a team to his location after all. Knowing that he wouldn’t be in any condition to be up and around once he was back in place. The disorientation, not to mention the semblance of a coma Sam’s body would force him into meant he would be vulnerable to MULES and even BTs if they came around.

Thirty-Two… Thirty-One… Thirty…

He tried to focus on something else now rather than Sam’s body lying there without any sort of life to it. Deadman thought instead about what they would have for dinner once he woke up and recovered. He knew that Sam would resist anything healthy but he wouldn’t let him get by with just eating Cryptobiotes and chugging Monster Energy Drink. It was one of the things he prided himself on was getting the porter to eat anything else. Salads had been a good thing so far. Sam loved tomatoes a lot and they were plenty healthy.

Twenty-Five… Twenty-Four… Twenty-Three…

The team should be getting there now soon. He didn’t want them to touch Sam’s body until the life was back into it though. Who knew what the consequences of them moving his body while he was making his way back to it would be? He couldn’t risk it. The men could stay there and wait a few moments while he made his way back. There wasn’t that much of a risk to it. The BTs were already gone after all. They never hung around too long after something like that happened. It was like they knew Sam would be coming back and it would be hell to pay for them when he woke up again. Somehow. 

If he just kept counting down… No wait, shit, he had lost track of his counting now. He knew that he was somewhere in the twenties? Maybe? Or had he managed to count down lower than that yet? He could feel his breathing get a little more shallow as he tried to remember where his counting was. He tried to keep himself calm but ever since he had grown to love someone, Sam, it had been harder and harder to do that really. Deadman knew that he had an important job to do but that didn’t mean he had to like being the one waiting here every time he died doing it. 

As he felt himself spiral just a little bit more the sudden sound of beeping went off. Startling him out of whatever kind of nightmare situation his brain was cooking up. Sam was back in his body. Deadman let the tension he was holding in his body go as he exhaled. Leaning back in his chair and letting go of the desk he was holding on to so tightly. His cuff began to beep with a transmission from the recovery team.

**“This is Deadman.”**

**“We’ve got him sir. Pulse and breathing seems stable. We’ll be transferring him to the medical wing as soon as we’ve got him loaded up.”**

**“Pick him up gently, he doesn’t need too many hives when he wakes up.”**

**“Affirmative.”**

With the communication done he hoped that whoever it was on the line hadn’t noticed the mixed array of emotions in his voice. It was hard to keep them all in check when he was feeling a medley of relief, fear and some other things that were so jumbled up he couldn’t begin to figure out what they were. But that was part of the experience wasn’t it? Part of the connection between the two of them. Part of the human experience that everyone was trying to bring back to the world.

Now though he had another task. Making sure the private room was prepped for when Sam was ready to be transferred there from the medical wing. Figuring out what they would be having for dinner when he finally woke up. Running the data compilations from the most recent resurrection. Not to mention there were soil samples still in the works from one of the void outs. Now that Sam was safe and sound the fact that he had been in danger was pushed to the lower end of his worries. After all, there was still work to be done. Work that might stop Sam from having to risk his life at all in the future. That alone made every bit of this stress worth while.


End file.
